1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement in a fish hook for connection to a split ring connected to a lure.
2. Description of Related Art
FIGS. 6, 7A, 7B and 9 of the accompanying drawings show a conventional fish hook B, which includes a shaft 21 and an eye or spade 22 in the form of a ring formed on the top of the shaft. The shaft 21 and eye 22 have the same diameter. The eye 22 is uniform in thickness "t" between both its ends.
A lure 23 has a connecting or fitting ring 25 fixed to it, which is connected with a split ring 24. The split ring 24 is connected with the hook eye 22. The split ring 24 may be made of steel wire which can be hardened or quenched. The wire is coiled spirally by two turns. The coiled wire is hardened to be sufficiently elastic and very hard. Otherwise, the split ring 24 may be made of stainless wire, which is only curved.
FIGS. 7A and 7B show how to engage the hook eye 22 with the split ring 24. First, the lure 23 and this ring 24 are held by one hand. The other hand holds a special purpose pair of pliers (not shown) for split rings . The pair of pliers is forced into the nip 26 between the turns of the split ring 24 to form a space 26a between them near one end of this ring as shown in FIG. 7B. Then, the top of the hook eye 22 is forced into the ring space 26a by hand, and engaged with the adjacent end of the split ring 24. Then, the hook eye 22 is moved along the ring space 26a to be connected with the split ring 24. At a suitable time during this movement of the hook eye 22, the pair of pliers is removed.
Because the split ring 24 is hardened, it is very difficult to open this ring with the special purpose pair of pliers. Besides, it may be necessary to perform the foregoing operation, with the hook B, which has a sharp point, the pair of pliers, the split ring 24 and the lure 23 all held by hand, on an unstable boat. It is difficult for even a veteran fisherman to perform such a complex operation quickly without being injured.